Feeling Cool and Clammy? How to Recognize and Treat Hypoglycemia

Introduction to Hypoglycemia

Feeling cool, clammy, shaky, and in need of candy can be telltale signs of low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia. This condition occurs when blood glucose levels drop too low, causing an array of unpleasant symptoms. While hypoglycemia may sound alarming, it can often be easily managed with lifestyle strategies and treatment. Understanding the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and prevention methods is key.

This comprehensive guide will provide extensive information on identifying hypoglycemia, getting an accurate diagnosis, dietary and medication recommendations, useful tips to raise blood sugar quickly when needed, and how to reduce episodes through preventative lifestyle measures. By learning to balance blood sugar levels, it’s possible to minimize disruptive hypoglycemic symptoms and their impact.

Common Symptoms of Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia can create a combination of physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms. Recognizing the telltale signs is the first step in proper management. Here are some of the most common indicators that blood sugar is too low:

Shakiness and Tremors

One of the earliest signs of dropping blood sugar is shakiness or tremors in the hands and limbs. As glucose levels get too low, it becomes difficult for muscles to contract in a coordinated way, resulting in tremors.

Sudden Hunger and Cravings

Feeling suddenly ravenous or experiencing intense carbohydrate cravings, like needing candy, can signal hypoglycemia. The body sends hunger signals in an attempt to raise blood sugar back up by eating.

Sweating and Chills

Clammy, cool, sweaty skin along with chills are common when blood sugar crashes. This is the result of glucose deprivation to the cells and hormonal changes attempting to correct it.

Fatigue and Weakness

As blood sugar drops, less glucose reaches the muscles, brain, and organs, rapidly sapping energy levels. This can cause pronounced fatigue, weakness, and overall lethargy.

Dizziness and Unsteadiness

Low blood sugar affects balance, coordination, and orientation, often leading to lightheadedness and dizziness. Moving too quickly can exacerbate this, bringing on a sense of unsteadiness.

Confusion and Impaired Cognition

Since the brain depends on glucose to function optimally, hypoglycemia diminishes mental clarity. Symptoms like confusion, difficulty concentrating, and memory lapses point to neuroglycopenia, or low glucose in the brain.

Mood Changes and Anxiety

The neurotransmitter changes that accompany declining blood sugar frequently induce mood symptoms like sudden irritability, anger, sadness, nervousness, and anxiety in hypoglycemic individuals.

Vision Disruptions

Low blood sugar can impact the eyes, creating temporary vision changes like blurriness, spotty vision, and double vision. This is the result of glucose deprivation to the ocular muscles and nerves.

Paying attention to symptoms provides important clues to catching and treating hypoglycemia promptly. Not everyone will experience every symptom, but shakiness plus hunger is a classic hypoglycemia pairing.

What Causes Hypoglycemia?

Hypoglycemia arises when the delicate balance of glucose generation and glucose utilization in the body becomes disrupted. There are several scenarios that can tip the scales towards lower blood sugar:

Medications for Diabetes

Ironically, one of the most common drug causes of hypoglycemia is diabetes medication. Insulin and oral hypoglycemic drugs help lower blood sugar in diabetics by increasing insulin production, decreasing glucose production, or improving insulin sensitivity. If the medication dose is too high, this effect can go too far, bringing blood sugar down to hypoglycemic levels.

Critical Illness

Serious infections, organ failure, heart attacks, and traumatic injuries can all precipitate hypoglycemia through complex mechanisms like electrolyte abnormalities, liver dysfunction, kidney disorders, and more.

Alcohol Consumption

Drinking alcohol, especially on an empty stomach, can reduce available glucose and hinder the liver’s ability to release glucose stores into the bloodstream. This makes hypoglycemia more likely.

Malnutrition and Poor Diet

Inadequate caloric intake from malnutrition, eating disorders, restrictive diets, food insecurity, or long gaps between meals can lead to lower blood sugar. Without sufficient glucose availability from carbohydrate foods, hypoglycemia can develop.

Prolonged Exercise

Vigorous exercise increases glucose utilization by the muscles. In some cases, prolonged, intense activity can burn through glucose faster than the body can replenish it from glycogen stores, bringing on hypoglycemia.

Gastric Surgery

Procedures like gastric bypass, gastrectomy, or bariatric surgery can increase the risk of low blood sugar by altering digestion and impacting gut hormone secretion.

Other Medical Conditions

Less common causes of hypoglycemia include enzyme deficiencies, liver or kidney disorders, insulin-producing tumors, and other endocrine abnormalities involving cortisol and growth hormone.

Identifying any underlying medications or health conditions contributing to hypoglycemia allows for properly targeted treatment.

Getting Tested for Hypoglycemia

Since symptoms alone aren’t always definitive, testing blood sugar during an episode can confirm whether hypoglycemia is present. Here is an overview of diagnostic testing:

Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose

Using a portable glucometer to check blood sugar levels during suspected hypoglycemia provides immediate confirmation. Blood glucose below 70 mg/dL indicates hypoglycemia.

Fasting Blood Glucose

Measuring blood glucose after an 8 to 12 hour fast can identify impaired fasting glucose or hypoglycemia less than 60 to 70 mg/dL depending on age.

Oral Glucose Tolerance Test

For this test, blood glucose is measured while fasting and again periodically after drinking a sugary solution. Hypoglycemia is reflected by low glucose levels at any stage.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring

This involves wearing a device that constantly tracks glucose levels day and night to identify hypoglycemic patterns.

In addition to blood sugar testing, further testing can uncover underlying causes like diabetes, liver or kidney disorders, hormonal imbalances, etc. Discuss appropriate testing with your healthcare provider.

Quick Ways to Raise Blood Sugar

When experiencing problematic hypoglycemic symptoms, it’s important to act swiftly to bring blood sugar levels back up. Here are some quick-acting strategies:

Consume Quick-Acting Carbs

Eating or drinking 15-20 grams of rapid sugar sources like juice, regular soda, candy, honey, or raisins can raise blood glucose in minutes.

Take Glucose Tablets

Carrying glucose tablets allows you to conveniently treat hypoglycemia anywhere. Chewing 2-4 tablets provides 15-20 grams of glucose to reverse low blood sugar.

Try Sugary Gel Packets

Specialized gel products like InstaGlucose are formulated to treat hypoglycemia by delivering concentrated glucose that absorbs under the tongue.

Drink Sugary Beverages

Sipping beverages with added sugar like lemonade, chocolate milk, or sugary coffee drinks brings quick relief by supplying glucose and calories.

Opt for Hard Candies

Sucking on hard candies delivers a steady glucose influx as they dissolve slowly in the mouth. This makes them ideal for milder hypoglycemia.

Retest blood sugar 15 minutes after treating with quick carbs to ensure levels have normalized. If hypoglycemia persists, repeat carbohydrate consumption.

Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Hypoglycemia

While fast-acting sugar sources can provide immediate relief from hypoglycemic episodes, making certain lifestyle changes helps reduce recurrence in the long run:

Exercise Regularly But Avoid Overexertion

Regular moderate activity improves glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Extremely intense or prolonged exercise can precipitate hypoglycemia, so tailor workouts accordingly.

Never Skip Meals

Eating regular meals and snacks helps maintain stable glucose levels. Don’t go longer than 4-5 hours without eating a mix of protein, fat, and carbohydrate foods.

Reduce Alcohol Intake

Drinking alcohol can impair the body’s ability to prevent and correct hypoglycemia. Those prone to low blood sugar may need to moderate consumption.

Follow a Balanced, Low-Glycemic Diet

Emphasize nutrient-dense whole foods that release glucose slowly. Limit refined carbs and sugary items that can spike then rapidly drop blood sugar.

Check Glucose Frequently When Ill

Monitor blood sugar closely and supplement carbohydrates when sick as illness increases hypoglycemia risk.

Take Medications as Prescribed

Diabetics should adhere properly to insulin and hypoglycemic medications and communicate with their provider about dosage adjustments to prevent overtreatment.

Lifestyle measures restore normal glucose control and hypoglycemia awareness, enabling prompt symptom detection and treatment when needed.

Medical Treatment Options for Hypoglycemia

Beyond self-treatment, doctors may recommend additional therapies for recurring, problematic hypoglycemia:

Medication Adjustment

For patients on diabetes or hypoglycemic medications, changing drug type, dosage, or timing helps prevent overtreatment and hypoglycemia.

Hormone Therapy

Treatment with corticosteroids or growth hormone helps correct deficiencies or imbalances contributing to low blood sugar.

Islet Cell Transplantation

For severe, uncontrollable hypoglycemia, transplanting pancreatic islet cells can establish normal glucose control.

Gastric Surgery Revision

Revision procedures to address dumping syndrome or promote weight gain may resolve some post-surgery hypoglycemia.

Glucose Monitoring Systems

Continuous glucose monitoring or insulin pump systems automate blood sugar management to minimize hypoglycemic risk.

Doctors tailor medical treatment to the specific cause and severity of hypoglycemia for optimal effectiveness.

Creating a Hypoglycemia Action Plan

Having a personalized written action plan helps patients and caregivers respond appropriately to hypoglycemic episodes:

List Common Hypoglycemia Symptoms

Document the specific early warning signs typically experienced before severe symptoms set in.

Note Usual Timing and Triggers

Track any patterns regarding when hypoglycemia tends to occur and what activities or meals seem to trigger it.

Carry Quick-Acting Carbohydrates

Have glucose tablets, candy, or other rapid sugar sources on hand at all times in case hypoglycemia strikes.

Outline Emergency Procedures

Know when to take fast-acting glucose, call for help, or seek medical treatment based on symptom severity.

Inform Friends, Family, Coworkers

Educate those around you regularly about noticing and properly treating hypoglycemia flare-ups.

Creating and following a personalized action plan minimizes hypoglycemia’s daily life impact and reduces associated risks.

The Takeaway

Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is a common condition signaled by symptoms like shakiness, sweating, and craving candy. Causes include medications, critical illness, poor diet, alcohol use, surgery, and endocrine disorders. Testing and properly treating hypoglycemia when it occurs is vital. Lifestyle measures like meal spacing, activity regulation, and glucose monitoring help prevent hypoglycemic episodes. Working closely with medical providers enables those prone to low blood sugar to manage it safely and effectively.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.